The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-09-10
Special Contributors.
j USTIFICATI0N BY FAITH
BY REV. W. E. MANLEY, D. d.
Denver. COLI

[Some time ago, Br W. S. Wilson, Whose
post-office we cannot now recall), asked that
one of our writers discuss in The UNIvERs-
AI1sT, the subject of classification by Faith"
At our request, DR.. Manley furnishes the fol-
lowing valuable article. Ed.
The words of Paul, 1.-The just shall
live by faith" are supposed to teach
the same doctrine as that expressed by
the heading of this article. But this is
mistake. No such doctrine is con-
tanned in these words. They say moth
ing of justification by faith. They
speak only of living by faith. To live
by faith, and to be justified by faith,
are not the same idea. To make these
words express the doctrine Of justifca-
tiOn by faith, they must be read differ
emily, as follows 1.-The just by faith
shall live in other words, those
who are made just or righteous by their
faith, shall live; that is, enjoy eternal
life.
1t is assumed in the New Testament,
that faith in Christ makes men right
eous and the words of Paul, as gener-
ally understood, point to the consequent
moral or spiritual life, commonly called
eternal or everlasting life. The author
of Hebrews employs the verb liUe in a
similar manner. "Shall we not be in
subsection to the Father of spirits, and
live ?" All through the New Tesla
ment, eternal life is represented as The
reward of faith and obedience. And
when we speak of justification by faith,
our words imply that the true faith
justifies men, or makes them just; and
this implication is, no doubt, legiti-
mate. The order of working is: Faith
makes men just; and justification is
followed by eternal life. On the con-
trary, faith without good works, or jus
tiicatiOn, is dead, and cannot produce
life.
1t is sometimes claimed that James
and Paul teach conflicting doctrines :;
the one urging the claims of faith; the
other the claims of works; and this
would be true, if the faith insisted on
by Paul were dissOciated from its fruits
and works; were dissOciated by James
from the faith that produces them.
When the latter calls on men to show
their faith by their works, he Tecog-
nizes the close connection of the two
and Paul's doctrine of Justification by
faith, implies the same connection.
There is then no conflict between these
two apostles.
IL may be we'll to look into this doc
trine of justification by faith little
more closely. 1t is doctrine of vast
Importance. The common view, ap-
prehend, is far from the true one. The
gospel nowhere gives countenance to
the opinion that God will justify men
on account of their faith, by treating
them as righteous Wien they are not
much less that he will remit their pun
ishment on account of their faith,
without regard to any reformation
resulting therefrom. Justification by
faith is very different from this. 1t is
making men just by the power of faith,
and does not imply any estimate of
men, other than as they really are.
Men are treated as sinners, and pun
ished for their sins while they are sin
ners; and they are regarded as right
eous, and rewarded accordingly, when
they become righteous, and not till
then. When it is said that God can be
just and the justifer of the believer, the
meaning is not that he can be just while
doing an act of injustice, by remitting
punishment that is justly merited; for
justifying the believer is not remitting
deserved punishment, but bringing him
into a condition wherein he will cease
to deserve punishment.
Faith in Christ is faith in his gospel,
in other words, in the doctrines which
he taught and it is rightly assumed
that genuine faith in these will make
men better, or in Scripture phrase, will
justify them. Hence the great object
of the early preachers Of Christianity,
was to induce this faith. This was the
work assigned them by the Master, in
his last address to them: go ye into
all the world and preach the gospel to
the whole creation. He that believeth
and is baptized shall be saved, etc.
1t is plain from these words, that the
object of preaching the gospel is to